The present invention relates generally to a retractable spike or the like which is normally mounted for slidable movement within a protective sleeve-like retainer, and wherein the tip of the spike may be extended outwardly of the sleeve when needed to assist the user in gaining assistance in self-extrication from a hole in the ice or in moving onto or across the surface of wet and/or slippery ice. The device is particularly useful as protection for individuals who may be engaging in wintertime activities on a frozen lake surface, and when there is any risk or danger of falling through the ice into the frigid water.
During the Winter, activities are undertaken for work and/or pleasure which may require that a person venture onto or traverse a frozen lake or other body of water. During the early portions of each Winter, and also during the Spring, the ice which forms on the surface of the lake may be thin, broken, or otherwise unable to support the weight of a person, automobile, or other motor vehicle. As a result, individuals fall through the ice and the body's exposure to water at substantially 32.degree. F. results in the rapid onset of hypothermia. In the event the person is in trouble, and if alone or otherwise unable to receive help, the person's life is in jeopardy, since it may be impossible for him or her to crawl out of the opening in the ice onto the surface of wet slippery ice adjacent the opening. Frequently, a modest additional amount of friction will enable a person to crawl out of the ice and survive the ordeal without succumbing to the onset of hypothermia and/or exposure.
It is extremely difficult for individuals to carry and/or travel across a frozen lake while carrying an article or device which would support them in the event the ice were to break. In this connection, long sticks, lumber, or the like are sometimes carried by people as a means of gaining assistance in creating a temporary anchor point for assistance in crawling out of holes in the ice, since sturdy boards and/or sticks tend to create friction and spread the load across a wider area of the ice, thus permitting the person to extricate himself before expiring due to hypothermia and/or exposure. However, because of the inconvenience of carrying such devices and for other considerations, a significant number of individuals do fall through the ice and due to difficulty in extricating themselves in sufficient time, they become victims.